Now, Abu Azmi says western culture, nudity in films to blame for rapes

Joining a list of leaders who made controversial remarks following the Delhi gangrape incident, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Tuesday said women should not go out with men other than relatives and agreed with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's view that most rapes take place in cities and not villages.

"Young girls and women must not roam around with any men except their parents, brothers or husband," Azmi, a member of Maharashtra assembly, said in Mumbai.

"Having boyfriends and girlfriends has become a fashion in cities. This is why incidence of rapes is higher in urban areas compared to rural parts of the country," he added.

"What is the need for roaming at night with men who are not relatives? This should be stopped," he said.

"Such incidents (like the Delhi gang rape) happen due to influence of western culture," Azmi said. Scantily-clad women attract male attention, Azmi said adding rape cases are on the rise due to "women wearing less clothes."

Asked if he supported the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's views, Azmi said, "When he is saying is something right. I cannot say he is wrong.

"If he calls the sun the sun or the moon the moon, I cannot say he is wrong just because of our political differences."

Azmi agreed with the RSS chief's statement on Bharat-India divide when it comes to incidents of rape and that "rape is a phenomenon that happens in cities and not in villages".

"The number of rape cases in villages are less (compared to cities)," he said.

Azmi said, "I am 100 per cent of the opinion that there should be a legislation to prevent outraging modesty of women".

Azmi felt that capital punishment for rape could be "misused by girls and innocent men could be hanged".

"Even if there is a consensual relationship and it turns sour later, girls could resort to blackmail and men would still be punished."

He said, "if a girl goes with her consent with him (boy friend) to a hotel and does not complain, then it is not an issue. But if the same girl goes with the boy to the hotel and no one knows what happens inside...and if the girl comes out and complains, he would be hanged."

Asaram Bapu had on Monday courted controversy for suggesting that the victim of the brutal sexual assault in Delhi was equally responsible for the crime saying the girl could have called her assailants brothers and begged them to stop.